Sofa-bunk bed



J. R. SIMMONS soFA-BUNK BED `lune 23, 1959 Filed April 25. 195e l.ye/ned, @Sim/Mond mi @h/MQ United States Patent iee Patented June 23,1959 SOFA-BUNK BED James R. Simmons, Kenilworth, Ill.

Application April 25, 1956, Serial No. 580,496

2 Claims. (Cl. 5--9) The present invention relatesV to furniture and,more particularly, to the provision of a new and improved sofa-bunk bedwhich may be operatively used as either a sofa or as a double-bunk bedupon a simple positioning movement of a back cushion thereof.

There hasy heretofore been proposed many types of furniture pieces andparticularly convertible davenports or sofas which may be operablyrearranged to provide various types of sleeping facilities. Manydifferent sofabed arrangements have been developed and marketed, inwhich` complicated and expensive apparatus has been employed for movingthe back cushion from its substantially vertical, sofa position into ahorizontal, bed position. Unfortunately, this complicated apparatuseither generally detracts from the attractiveness of the furniture piecewhen used as a sofa or requires such an expenditure as to beimpractical. More particularly, in the eld of modern furniture design itis important that the various supporting and guard members be stored insuch a manner as to balance the modern design appearance of thefurniture piece while providing an arrangement which is sturdy, simpleto manufacture and of relatively low cost.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a newand improved furniture piece adapted to be used as either a sofa or adouble-bunk bed.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of anew and improved furniture piece which embodies a back cushion operablymovable to either sofa or bunk-bed positions.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved combination sofa-bunk bed in which the supporting legs and aguard rail pivotally mounted to a back cushion are functionally usablewhen the sofabunk bed is used as a bunk bed and are stored conformablyto the back cushion when the sofa-bunk bed is used as a sofa.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a combinationsofa-bunk bed including a back cushion pivotally secured along one edgethereof to a fixed frame, and supporting legs and a guard rail pivotallymounted to said cushion, said legs and rail serving to support the backcushion and to provide a safety retaining rail, respectively, when theback cushion is pivotally rotated forwardly and upwardly into a bunkbedposition.

Briefly, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, there isprovided a combination sofa-bunk bed which includes a back cushionpivotally mounted to a frame and operably movable from a substantiallyvertical sofa position to a substantially horizontal bunk bed position.A plurality of support legs and a guard rail both are pivotally attachedto the back cushion in such a manner as to be conformably shaped to theback cushion when in its substantially vertical sofa position.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation,together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best beunderstood by reference to the following specification, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a combination sofa-bunk bedembodying the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the combination sofa-bunk bed ofFig. l;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the combination sofa-bunk bed ofFig. l;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the combination sofa-bunk bed ofFig. 1, shown used as a bunk bed; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the support locking meansembodied in the combination sofa-bunk bed of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the combination sofas bunk bed of thepresent invention is therein illustrated at 16, and comprises agenerally horizontal rectangular frame 11 supported from the floor by aplurality of legs 12. A resilient cushion 13, capable of comfortablysup# porting a human body in either sitting or lying position, iscarried by and suitably attached to the frame 11.

As best shown in Fig. 2, a generally rectangular back frame 14 is xedlysecured to the frame 11 by any suitable means and is suitably broad tosupport a resilient back cushion 16. The cushion 16 is pivotally securedat either end thereof to the upper ends of the back frame 14 by suitablefastening means 14a, such as a bolt, pin or the like, and includes arectangular frame 21 to which a pair of leg members 25 are pivotallysecured by any suitable fastening means 26. Accordingly, the backcushion 16 is adapted to be moved from a sofa position, such as shown inFig. l, to a bunk-bed position, such as shown in Fig. 4, in which latterposition the forward edge of the frame 21 is supported by the legmembers 425 which rest on the frame 11.

As best shown in Fig. 2, when the back cushion 16 is disposed in itssofa position and the bottom edge thereof is supported by the seatcushion 13, the leg members 25 are adapted to be stored along opposingside edges of the frame 21 in such a manner as to be conformably shapedthereto. If desired, suitable clamping means (not shown) may be employedto retain the members 25 in the desired position when the unit 10 isused as a sofa.

In order to use the combination sofa-bunk bed 10 as a bunk bed, the backcushion 16 is pivoted forwardly and upwardly from the position shown inFig. 2 to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 4 and the legs 25 moveddownwardly and forwardly so that the free ends thereof engage the frame11, whereby the back cushion 16 is parallel to but spaced from thecushion 13 by an amount suitable to permit both of these cushions to beused for sleeping purposes. The free ends of the legs 25 are providedwith end caps 30, as best illustrated in Fig. 5, which are rotatablymounted on the ends of the legs 25. These end caps are provided withT-shaped apertures 32 in the ends thereof which are adapted to receivecooperating T-shaped anges 33 mounted upon rods 34 xedly embedded in thefront right and left corners of the upper surface of the frame 11. Afterthe caps 3) have been placed over the anges 33 the caps are rotateduntil the T-shaped apertures therein are interlocked with the flanges 33so that a rigid connection to the frame 11 is provided.

In accordance With an important feature of the present invention thereis provided a guard rail 35 provided with arm portions 36 which arepivotally secured to the frame 21 by suitable fastening means 37. Inorder to recess the guard rail 3S behind the upper edge of the cushion16 when the `guard rail is not in use, the rail 35 is provided withoifset end portions 38 so that the rail 3S is stored behind the cushion16 when the unit 16 is used as'a sofa. However, when the cushion 16 ismoved to the horizontal bunk bed position the guard rail 35 may bepivoted forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4, in which position therail `35 is supported by means of inwardly extending lugs 39 on the arms36, which lugs rest on the upper surface of the frame 21. With thisarrangementrthe guard rail 35 does not interfere .with useo'f thecushion 16 as a head rest when the unit 10 is used `as a sofa but therail 3S may be readily smlng to the-guard position shown in Fig. 4 toprotect the occupant of the upper bunk bed. l p i While there has beendescribed what is at present considered to be the preferred embodimentof the invention, it will be understood that various modifications maybe made therein which are within the true spirit and scopev of theinvention as described in the appended claims.l Y

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

' 1. vArcombination sofa-bunk bed, comprising a frame, a` seat membersupported on said frame, a back memyber'pivotally secured to said frameat the upper corners and an interconnecting rod, the ends of said legsbeing pivotally mounted on the sides of said back member, said railbeing movable between alstored position wherein said rod is conformableto the upper edge of said back cushion and a guard rail position whereinsaid rod is spaced from the lower edge of said back cushion to providean extension thereof, said legs having intermediate their ends inwardlyextending projections for engaging the ends of said back cushion todispose said rod in said guard rail position. Y

2. The sofa-bunk bed of claim 1 wherein there is additionally providedon the ends of said leg members a female receptacle having an openingand there is additionally provided on the frame a male locking elementhaving a configuration for passage through said opening whereby saidfemale receptacle and male locking element cooperate to xedly secure thefree ends of said leg members to said frame when said back member is insaid substantially horizontal position.

I References Cited in the le ofk this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSGermany Sept. 16, 1927'y

